Minnow has no hands. The leader of a cult ordered them removed, and now she’s on trial for almost beating a boy to death.

Minnow’s story unfolds in both directions; with us learning about the trials of life in the Kevinian cult, run by a man whose rules change with the weather; watching Minnow grow and form friendships in the most unlikely of places – juvenile detention; and why it was, exactly, that she beat that boy up.

Part Orange is the New Black, part misery memoir, and based loosely on Grimm’s The Girl Without Hands, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is a must read for anyone who is fascinated by the horrible things that people do to each other, sometimes in the name of faith or to spare their own necks.

The story of Minnow Bly, while at times horrific and disturbing, is a tale of friendship and hope. And, if Minnow can get by without hands, surely we can all achieve amazing things, too!